Read Me First

[Theras]

Introduction

This fairly lengthy preamble will tell you a fair bit about the guild, as well as what our expectations are, how our application process flows, and what kind of application you ought to submit. Ideally we would tell you that this is required reading, but realistically we know that most people aren't going to trudge through two and a half pages of text. Additionally, for the type of person we are looking to recruit, most of this should be common sense anyhow. So consider this to be the post summary:

• We're an adult only 10-man raiding force.
• We raid Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm Pacific Time.
• You need to be able to attend a vast majority of our raids.
• We are looking for highly versatile and adaptable players, preferably with solid raid experience.
• Knowledge of classes/roles other than the one you are applying for is a huge plus.
• The application period lasts roughly one month.

If you want to jump straight into the application form, it's right here. If you're curious about the nitty gritty details, read on.

About the guild

Avatars of Discord was formed on Uther in 2008, in the twilight of the Burning Crusade expansion. Our charter members consisted primarily of raiders from one of the top raiding guilds on the realm who wanted to move to a tighter, more streamlined 10-player raiding force at the release of Wrath of the Lich King.

We maintain an adult only west coast raiding force, with an average age somewhere in our mid-20's. A solid majority of us are any (or all) of: graduate students, working professionals, married, or have families. In order to accommodate our real life obligations, we do not raid on the weekends; only weeknights. Specifically, raids start at 6:00 pm Pacific Time, and will generally run no later than 10:00 pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays. We have to wake up in the morning, after all.

We are constantly recruiting players that share in the above ideals, and that also possess the following qualities: outstanding knowledge of their class, a competitive nature, good analytical and mathematics skills, strong communication skills, and exceptional patience.

Recruitment needs

We're always recruiting. There generally isn't a chart here with various classes listed along with their desirability, because one of our highest priorities is versatility. With the changes made in Wrath of the Lich King, many classes have gained the ability to fluidly switch from one spec to another. While we do recruit people for specific roles, we especially value players that love their class enough that they are willing to switch roles as raid composition dictates. If you're a hybrid class, we don't want you to feel limited to just the role you apply as; if we need one of your other roles, we'll come to you first before we recruit for that slot.

We also never list classes as closed or limited, since we don't want to miss out on any exceptional players that might otherwise have not applied. We value good people enough that we will make an honest effort to accommodate you, even if your favorite job is full. We'll even consider your alts if you're serious enough about them, so don't be afraid to ask.

(We are specifically looking for a good Restoration Druid or Holy Priest right now, though. An absolutely amazing tank or Holy Paladin are also on our radar.)

The prospective applicant checklist

• You need to be able to contribute to raids at our current tier of progression on day 1; we tend to not take many "project" applicants, so you need to have geared yourself up already. Solid raiding experience prior to Wrath of the Lich King is a big plus right now, with Black Temple, Sunwell, and classic Naxxramas being particular areas of interest. However, since we just went through a gear reset, your equipment isn't currently a huge deal (though if it isn't great you will probably need to put in some extra effort to get up to speed for your first raids). Right now, general game knowledge and adaptability are far more important. Which leads us to...
  
  
• You need to be highly knowledgeable about your class. You also need to be able to demonstrate that knowledge consistently in raids, without constant instruction or supervision. We aren't interested in raiding with sub-par players, and will actively replace poor performers. Gurgthock over at Elitist Jerks succinctly summarizes our expectations of our raiders:
  
  

  Originally posted by Praetorian
  If you could do Heigan all day without dying, never blew up the raid on Thaddius, and never died to Void Zones (that actually rendered properly), then that's a start. If you can finish all your Teron ghosts with 20 seconds to spare and help the next in line, and never die on Archimonde without someone else's Soul Charge being involved, even better.

• We're an exclusively adult raiding force, and we will treat you that way if you offer the same respect in return. On that same token, at times our guild and raid chat can take a decidedly adult tone. Sometimes we play drinking games while we raid. We may occasionally insinuate that your mother engages in inappropriate activities. We will sometimes assert that something you just said is, in fact, what she said. If are looking for an environment where nobody ever mentions body functions or naughty words, you will probably not enjoy yourself. Raid nights are a release after a long day at work, so we're here to have fun.
  
  
• You need to be able to attend a vast majority of our raids on a regular basis. If you have other commitments on any of our raid nights you would be doing both of us a disservice to apply; our abbreviated raid schedule demands high attendance. Our schedule can be found above, and weekly specifics will be posted to our in-game calendar.
  
  
• Your computer and connection must be rock solid in raids. Constant disconnects or computer issues mean we need to replace you, and if we need to replace you why would we fill a slot we need to refill shortly thereafter? That would be silly.

About your application

When you submit your application, we (typically) do not know anything about you. The purpose of the form is to determine not only what your game experience has been like, but what kind of person you are in general, how much you know about the raiding scene, and your class. Therefore, please keep in mind that for our first impression of you, you are your application. You need to be able to express yourself in a fashion that affirms your intelligence, and demonstrates that you are capable of writing thoughtfully and coherently. For an example of an exceptional application, see our application form thread.

After you apply

The time from initial application to permanent membership usually takes no more than one month. It's a five step process.

1. Initial application processing usually takes no more than a day or two. Processing is occasionally delayed over the weekend, but you'll receive a reply by email regardless of whether or not we want to consider your application.
   
   
2. If we feel that you have something that the guild is looking for, we will contact you via email to set up an interview. The interview will take place either in game on Uther, or on our Ventrilo server; it's your decision.
   
   
3. After your interview is reviewed by the guild officers, we will either green light you for a single trial raid with the guild (and transfer to Uther if applicable), or close off the process.
   
   
4. If all goes well on your trial run you are invited to the guild on a trial membership. During your trial membership you will constantly be assessed and provided feedback on your performance by guild officers and members alike. Make an effort to get to know your new guildmates during this time, too; in addition to being great people, they are a valuable resource if you ever find yourself in need of advice.
   
   
5. After a month, the guild's active raiding members will vote on whether or not to grant you full membership. If you have performed to exceptional standards and consistency you will be granted a permanent raiding slot.